The Whole Top 25 thing...

Just in case you've been completely out of touch with the sports world in the past three days, you may have missed that the Preseason Coaches Poll was released. As the first preseason poll, it gives us Pundits a chance to A)Confirm how incredibly wrong the people who actually run college football teams are and B) Dispute the entire notion of a preseason poll and draft some lengthy, elegant, and somewhat pompous address about how hype should be established on the field. That being said, I wouldn't take this poll to seriously, and just because Navy was not featured in the “Others Receiving Votes” category gives you no excuse to be found weeping in your cubicle over that "See Bill Run" t-shirt you got free at FanFest. No my friends, hype shall be established on the field, and that is where we know our beloved Midshipmen will triumph. As for the rest of the nation, have a look...


1. Ohio State
2. Texas
3. USC
4. Notre Dame
5. Oklahoma

Aside from Oklahoma, this is pretty much what you would have expected. In my mind, any one of the first 4 teams could have been slated at #1, if only because their just doesn’t seem to be a team capable of dominating one of the others. I do however give a slight edge to Notre Dame and Ohio State because of the experience of at the QB position, but still think that questions linger on both defenses. As for Oklahoma, obviously the majority of polls cast must have come before the Bomar scandal and without a proven QB the Sooners fall into the 15-20 range in my mind. To be perfectly honest, I would have had the Sooners in the 8-12 range with Bomar.

6. Auburn
7. West Virginia
8. Florida
9. LSU
10. Florida St.

I’m no going to earn many points with Tiger fans, but I think they are just a little bit overrated at #6. I think 9th or 10th would be a more appropriate spot (at least for now). I know all about Kenny Irons, but I’m still not sold on Cox as a passer or a very young receiving corps. West Virginia also looks a few spots overrated, and don’t act surprised if Louisville will be holding that spot at the end of the year. Florida is at a good spot, as is LSU. Maybe it’s just because of my own bias, but I think that Florida St. could implode in similar style as they did last season. Miami is clearly the better team for #10.

11. Miami
12. California
13. Louisville
14. Georgia
15. Michigan

Miami is about were I’d expect to see them in a preseason poll. You could even make the case for the Hurricanes to be a bit higher if your one of those “OMG Kyle Wright dude!” kinda people. I’m not, so I’ll leave them at 10 or 11. Cal looks fine at number 12, but then again I didn’t watch a single Pac 10 vs. Pac 10 game last season so what do I know. Louisville and WVU should switch places, as the Cardinals should have easily won last year’s matchup, but by some freak Act of God did not. They will be stronger overall then WVU, and I’m going to go ahead and say I by this BS about how Brian Brohm is back. The Bulldogs have some questions to be answered, and I’d actually move them down a few spots. I think an Iowa or a Clemson fits better there. Michigan is going to implode, and I’d move them down to the “others” category and bring Arizona St. up. When you have that much talent at QB (Keller and Carpenter), you’re going places.

16. Virginia Tech
17. Iowa
18. Clemson
19. Penn State
20. Oregon

I think Tech may struggle more then anticipated without Vick, so I’m not going to go out on a limb and put them any higher. Iowa and Clemson could and probably should both be 2-3 spots higher, while Penn State should be in the 20-25 range if ranked at all. Oregon is a team which I believe is perpetually overrated but just good enough to be the “Hey, look at us” guys of what some would lead you to believe is East-Coast biased media. In terms of actual talent, this is where they belong, if not lower. In terms of how many games they win, don’t be surprised to eventually see them in the Top 10.

21. TCU
22. Nebraska
23. Tennesee
24. Alabama
25. Texas Tech

This is the part most people don’t care about, but the part I love to talk about. All very reasonable calls, although I would move TCU up to 19 and Nebraska to 25, drop Alabama to like 30th (Pending effectiveness of offense and new QB). I’d put 5-6 Purdue in place of Alabama (yes, Purdue, my surprise team of the year), and keep Fulmer’s Vols just where they are. Wait, no. Screw Fulmer, I’d move the Vols out of the Top 25, make them 31st, and move Utah into that place. I’m not buying this supposed Tennessee National Championship run until I see it on the field. Am I being hypocritical with Purude then? Of course, but I like the Boilermakers.

Others:

Because of what seems to be some grand conspiracy, Navy was not included in the “Others Receiving Votes” category, while lowly and pathetic Duke was, thanks in part to the sentimentality of a Mr. Steve Spurrier. I was in fact very surprised and perturbed to see that Navy did not receive at least 1 vote, which really shows how biased some of these coaches are. I’m not going to bore you by going through each one of these teams, but rather here’s a list of teams that will enter the Top 25 for at least part of the season this year.

Boston College
Boise State
Arkansas
Navy
Iowa State
Maryland
Georgia Tech
Rutgers
BYU
South Carolina
Pittsburgh

As a recent addition to the MgoBlog's famous BlogPoll, I will be asked to submit my own Top 25 in the week to come. Later this week, I will post my rough draft, and encourage you all to post your own thoughts about where each team belongs. And I haven’t forgotten about that famed statistical analysis. Winning Percentages by state coming on Wednesday.